A 32-nation naval partnership

CMF ship welcomes senior members of the EU’s Capability Building Mission Nestor in Djibouti

Japanese ship Harusame, currently operating in direct support to the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) counter-piracy task force, CTF-151, welcomed a senior representative from the EU’s Capacity Building Mission Nestor (EUCAP Nestor) onboard when they came alongside in Djibouti recently.

Taking a short break from counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, the ship came alongside in the North African port earlier this month. Taking the opportunity to build on the already strong ties between the EU and CMF, EUCAP Nestor representative Mr Carlos Maldonado, Acting Head of Planning and Evaluation, and Commander Iain Baxter Royal Navy, the EU Naval Force representative in EUCAP Nestor, visited the ship to share best practice between the two teams.

Welcomed onboard by Captain Masatoshi Kashihara, commander of the 20th Deployment of the Surface Force for Piracy Enforcement, Mr Carlos provided a briefing about the mission and the successes the EU team have achieved to date.

Mr Carlos said:

“Forces like CMF and the EU Naval Force have contributed significantly to the fight against piracy, however, the piracy problem must be solved ashore, and that is what EUCAP NESTOR is doing: working with regional powers in North Africa to prevent their societies from producing pirates.”

After the meeting, the EU representatives were given a guided tour of the ship by Captain Kashihara, meeting sailors as they progressed around the destroyer.

Captain Kashihara said:

“EUCAP Nestor is carrying out such great activity ashore, working to root out the causes of piracy through capacity building and development ashore through technical and material assistance for residents and organisations in the Horn of Africa.”

Rear Admiral Pakorn Wanich from the Royal Thai Navy and current Commander CTF-151 said:

“This was a great opportunity for officers from a CTF-151 warship to meet EUCAP Nestor. These sort of meetings can really benefit each team by allowing us to share best practice and enhance our already strong cooperation which is one of the main factors for the success of our joint counter-piracy effort.”

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Published by Combined Maritime Forces

CMF is a unique multi-national collective of 32 like-minded nations, dedicated to promoting security and free flow of commerce across 3.2 million square miles of international waters in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Somali Basin, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf. CMF’s main focus areas are disrupting terrorism, preventing piracy, reducing illegal activities, and promoting a safe maritime environment for all.
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